Web Design for Traditional Artists

Posted on May 15, 2007 by Adam R.

I married into a family of artists and have met many interesting associates of theirs also involved in traditional Japanese art including my other relatives. Some of the rare artists I have met include a man that hand makes “Yoroi” which is Samurai Armour and another who is a Yuzen painter with his own line of clothing that is all hand painted.

My Father in-law Ken creates and repairs “MakieDecorative gold or silver laquer sprinkled with metal powder.” which is Japanese lacquerware made with gold, silver and mother of pearl inlay. Makie can be extremely expensive as I have found some of the prices shocking, but then when I consider the time spent to produce some of the amazing art he creates.

Having the Japanese Royal family buy his products and those of his Father and Grandfather in the past, speaks for itself when it comes to the quality of their work. Ken and the family lacquerware business have a reputation that precedes him and on going to an art fair in Takaoka, I learnt this from the gasps from other artists and antique dealers when he entered a room.

Unfortunately Ken is totally computer illiterate and so are most of his artist friends, he doesn’t even have a mobile phone as they are too confusing he says. As Makie is not popular with the new generation who prefer cheap plastic versions and considering Ken is located is very rural Tonami City, I decided to make him an offer. I explained that I can make a website for him and offer his products and repair service to all of Japan as he only covers Toyama and Ishikawa prefectures. Teamed with Black Neko as a delivery solution it took him a bit of convincing to finally agree, upon which I made a site and put it on CD as a demo.

Now he is inviting all his artist contacts over and getting me to show them the website I have made for him. I have now more work than I can handle which is good will keep me busy and the yen rolling in. It is good to help get my relatives online as allot of artists in Japan are the last of their style, same goes for my Father in-law Ken. After he passes a 112-year-old business will close , leaving behind huge warehouses of complete work. An English version of the website is now under way and I am getting a huge amount of requests to create pages in English for all types of Art related business contacts and associates of his.

I am now the Webmaster for the business and in charge of online National and International orders and enquiries from customers, Art Museums and antique dealers. With a view to keeping the family business alive and growing by putting it online I have created myself two jobs. If I had not made the offer to Ken, I would not of opened my own English web design business.

Take the initiative and consider what your talents are apart from Teaching English, which is the norm. There are always niche markets you can specialize in, you just have to make the first step.

The photo is a current work in progress of Fuyuki my Yuzen painter friend, it is of a “Ryu” which is a dragon on a “chochin” which is a paper lantern.

Make sure you check out the gallery on Fuyuki's website, I like the Japanese Carp pictures the best.

Fuyuki's Yuzen Painting Website